5 questions with new James Bond author William Boyd

By Christian DuChateau, CNN

Updated 1937 GMT (0337 HKT) October 16, 2013

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

"Spectre," the 24th James Bond movie, hits theaters in November, more than 50 years after the first film in the popular series, "Dr. No." "Spectre" stars Daniel Craig as 007, with turns from Christoph Waltz, Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux and Ralph Fiennes. Look back at highlights of the character's career, including the Bond girls and villains:

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Sean Connery plays James Bond with Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in 1962's "Dr. No," the film that launched the franchise.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Connery rehearses a scene from the James Bond Film "From Russia With Love" with the Italian actress Daniela Bianchi playing Tatiana Romanova, while director Terence Young helps the actors.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

British composer John Barry, creator of the James Bond theme music, at his piano in December 1967.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Sean Connery's Bond is up to his tricks with actress Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore during the filming of "Goldfinger" in 1964.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

English actress Shirley Eaton covered in gold in the James Bond film "Goldfinger," directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Sean Connery.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

A scene from the James Bond film "Thunderball" with Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, as Domino Derval, and Adolfo Celi playing Emilio Largo.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Sean Connery and Luciana Paoluzzi as Fiona Volpe being photographed in bed on the set of the James Bond film, "Thunderball" in 1965.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Actress Claudine Auger poses smoking a cigarette for her role as Domino Derval in the James Bond film, "Thunderball," directed by Terence Young, 1965. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Connery surrouned by bathing beuties in "You Only Live Twice" in 1966.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Donald Pleasence in character as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, holding a white cat on the set of "You Only Live Twice," in November 1966.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

Co-producers Harry Saltzman and Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, right, on the set of "You Only Live Twice" in October 1966.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

George Lazenby with actress Diana Rigg, who played Teresa di Vicenzo, during a press conference for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in London, in October 1968.

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Photos:Decades of Bond -- James Bond

George Lazenby offers co-star Helena Ronee a light during the filming of "'On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in the Swiss Alps in October 1968.

Story highlights

Before his death, Ian Fleming wrote 14 books about iconic British spy James Bond

British author William Boyd was chosen by Fleming's estate to write a new Bond novel

Boyd chose a retro setting in his version of 007: Africa, 1969

Boyd's James Bond book, "Solo," debuted in October

You've heard that classic mixology before: "Bond went into the lobby bar to gather his thoughts and ordered a vodka martini, explaining to the barman the best way to achieve the effect of vermouth without diluting the vodka too much. Ice in the shaker, add a slurp of vermouth, pour out the vermouth, add the vodka, shake well, strain into a chilled glass, add a slice of lemon peel, no pith."

Immortalized on the big screen and in Ian Fleming's 14 James Bond books, practically everyone knows the British superspy and his drink of choice. But this drink -- this Bond -- was written not by Fleming, but by author and screenwriter William Boyd. He was asked by Fleming's estate to write a new Bond novel; "Solo" hit shelves this month.

In "Solo," Boyd took a retro approach, choosing to set his story in 1969 at the height of the Cold War. While there are plenty of cocktails, fast cars and alluring women, Boyd says he wanted to take Bond back to his roots. In Boyd's version of Bond, there are no gadgets, no gimmickry, no flying cars and no villain with dreams of world domination.

In the novel, Bond has just turned 45, and is now a veteran of MI6. He's sent to a West African nation in the middle of a bloody civil war. His mission: quash the rebels and covertly help the established regime. While there, Bond is forced to go "solo" on a dangerous, self-appointed mission of revenge.

Writer William Boyd wrote the new James Bond novel, "Solo."

This Bond is still stylish, dresses impeccably, drives a Jensen Interceptor II, even knows how to whip up his own salad dressing (the recipe is included in the novel's only footnote) but Boyd's version is realistic, gritty and close to the original Fleming.

We spoke to Boyd about his take on the iconic character.

Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

The Peninsula, Hong Kong – The Peninsula -- and its fleet of Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows -- appeared in "The Man with the Golden Gun," starring Roger Moore. In the film, Bond follows Bond girl Andrea Anders from Macau to Hong Kong, where she's picked up by one of the hotel's "Peninsula-green" Rolls-Royces.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Hotel New Otani Tokyo – In 1967's "You Only Live Twice," the New Otani hotel is the headquarters of Osato Chemicals, the Japanese front for Ernst Stavro Blofeld's SPECTRE operation. The hotel was built in 1964 by former sumo wrestler Yonetaro Otani, and is famous for its revolving restaurant and enormous Japanese gardens.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

One&Only Ocean Club, Bahamas – In "Casino Royale," Bond girl Solange is seen arriving at the resort before checking into Villa 1085. The property appears throughout the film: Bond is seen walking through the reception area, playing poker in the library and exploring the Versailles-themed gardens.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Hotel Cipriani, Venice, Italy – Daniel Craig's James Bond moors his yacht at this hotel's private marina in "Casino Royale." The crew took over the Cipriani's restaurant to film this scene, and parts of the terrace appear throughout.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

The Langham, London – In "GoldenEye" -- the first James Bond film not based on Ian Fleming's novels -- this London hotel doubles as St. Petersburg's Grand Hotel Europe. The Langham was constructed in 1865 and is one of London's first purpose-built hotels.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Hotel Atlantic Kempinski, Hamburg, Germany – Bond scrambles over the iconic, globe-adorned rooftop of the Atlantic Kempinski in "Tomorrow Never Dies," and the hotel's exterior also appears throughout the film. Played by Pierce Brosnan, Bond stays in the hotel's Atlantic Suite and several scenes were filmed there.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India – This Indian hotel doubles as Octopussy's lair in the film of the same name, with the dining room, terrace and hotel barge appearing in various scenes. The hotel's lily pond is also featured in the film, when Bond girl Octopussy is shown enjoying a naked swim.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida – In "Goldfinger," this enormous hotel appears in the sweeping aerial shot which follows the opening credits. In the film, Bond girl Jill Masterton is found dead at the hotel after being covered in gold paint.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Hotel Cala Di Volpe, Sardinia, Italy – In "The Spy Who Loved Me," Roger Moore's Bond seduces KGB agent Amasova in the piano bar, which doubles as Bond's hotel room. The Cala di Volpe was the first hotel to be built on the Costa Smeralda, which is a popular holiday spot for those who rarely enjoy the charms of hostels: Heidi Klum and Denzel Washington have both stayed at the hotel.

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Photos:Hotels from James Bond movies

Four Seasons Hotel London at Canary Wharf – In the opening scene of "Skyfall," Bond (played by Daniel Craig) takes a dip in this London hotel's rooftop swimming pool. The pool's floor-to-ceiling windows offer unbeatable views over London, but because the property doubles for a hotel in Shanghai, they were blacked out prior to filming.

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Fast facts: William Boyd

Age: 61

Early life: Boyd was born in Accra, Ghana. He grew up there and in Nigeria.

For fans of: James Bond, spy novels, literary thrillers.

What else he has written: 20 best-selling novels and 15 films including "Any Human Heart," "A Good Man in Africa" and "Waiting for Sunrise."

Special honors: He was named a commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005.

Fun fact: Boyd has worked on films with three actors who portrayed James Bond: Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Five questions for William Boyd

CNN: How were you approached to write a new James Bond novel?

Boyd: It just came out of the blue. It's not something you're even aware you're being considered for or discussed. I just got a call from my literary agent one day saying stand by for this: Would you be interested in writing a new James Bond novel? I thought about it and said almost immediately, yes, please. Then the process gets a bit more involved. You have to meet the Fleming family and I had questions for them and they had questions for me. There was a kind of interview and after that I officially got the job. It's something that just came right out of left field and took me completely by surprise. It was a treat. I took it very seriously but I had great fun. It was a wonderful thing to be asked to do.

CNN: Was there any difficulty in taking on an iconic character like Bond?

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Boyd: For some people there might be, but I had written two spy novels so I was very familiar with the demands of the genre. I've written a film about Charlie Chaplin. I wrote a six-hour miniseries about Hitler. So taking on a book about James Bond, somebody that's present in the minds of millions of other people, didn't seem as strange to me as it might have been to other writers. It was a challenge but it was a highly intriguing one. So I approached it very much in that spirit. I was also given a very free hand by the Fleming family. If they had wanted me to write to a formula or a pastiche of Ian Fleming I wouldn't have done it. They really let me write in my own voice, invent my own storyline with a very hands-off, benign approach. So it wasn't a daunting prospect, more an enticing one.

CNN: You've written about Ian Fleming before, so were you already a fan of his?

Boyd: It was more of a curiosity. I became quite curious about Fleming as a certain sort of Englishman. He was a close acquaintance of Evelyn Waugh, a writer who I've read every word he's written. I'm equally curious about Waugh but the two men didn't like each other at all. I began to wonder why this should be and started to investigate Fleming's personality and his particular nature, which I think in some ways is very English. I think he wanted to die, which is what's so odd. He was a misanthrope and maybe depressive. He was only 56 when he eventually died but he was in a hurry to get to the grave as he said himself. So I was very intrigued by him as a sort of case study. In many ways he seemed rather similar to Evelyn Waugh and it was odd that the two didn't like each other at all. So the Fleming curiosity was certainly there, I had put him in as a character in my novel, "Any Human Heart." I don't know if the Fleming family was aware of this, but I was certainly clued up about their famous ancestor.

CNN: Why did you choose to set the novel in 1969 and largely in Africa?

Boyd: I wanted very much to set the novel in the era of Bond. The novels appeared between 1953 and 1964 and if Fleming had looked after himself a bit better he could have conceivably written a novel in 1969. So it's very much that world that Bond the character would know and it's also a world of no mobile phones, the Cold War is raging, there's no Internet, computers are fairly elementary, it's classic spying. I very much wanted to exploit all those echoes and illusions and textures. I thought I would take him to Africa, because I said to the Fleming family when I met them that I wanted to write a very realistic Bond novel, a real spy novel about a real human being, a real spy on a real mission.

So I thought about my own background, my own upbringing. I'd been living in Nigeria in the late 1960s when the Nigerian civil war was on and it had a profound effect on me. I thought I'll send Bond off to a nasty little war in Africa. You can't get more down and dirty and gritty than that. So I paralleled the events of the novel pretty closely on the events of the Nigerian civil war. But in the interests of making Bond real and making his mission real, I didn't want to write anything with too much gimmickry or gadgetry involved, or fantastical plots or organizations wanting to take over the world. I wanted it to be a highly realistic novel.

CNN: Is there another character from literature you would like to take on?

Boyd: When I come across a character I'm intrigued by, I often write a short story about this character. I fictionalize aspects of their life. I wrote a short story about Brahms, for example, because I'm a great lover of his music. I wrote a short story about Chekov for the same reason. In my novel, "Any Human Heart," I was able to have my fictional character bump into all sorts of real people who either intrigue, infuriate or fascinate me. I guess I'm quite curious about Ernest Hemingway as a character. I'm not a great admirer of his novels but I'm very curious about him as an individual. So it might be quite stimulating to revisit Hemingway through the filter of fiction and see what I make of him the way I've been able to do with these other characters.

I'm currently writing a miniseries about Lawrence of Arabia, another deeply complex, strange man but because it's a drama I'm able to move away from the restrictions of documentary fact and present my imagined portrait of T.E. Lawrence, which is a very fascinating prospect. So Hemingway, I keep reading every book that comes out about him. There's obviously something about him in the same way as Fleming that intrigued me. So watch this space, maybe it will happen.